Wednesday, September 26, 2012

There is much to say about this; one place to begin a discussion of what I hope will be a number of blogs and other comments which is easily accessible for all is citing Zen Master Hakuin's comments on the Ten Clause Kannon Sutra (Enmei Jukku Kannon Gyo) and what he calls healing practices in the midst of cause and effect.

Hakuin has a whole book devoted to this verse, though the book is only available in Japanese (Enmei Jukku Kannon-gyo Reigen-ki).

However, Hakuin also speaks at length in many places in his writings about healing that can occur with the chanting of this verse. There are excellent translations in English by Norman Waddell of selections from Hakuin on this subject. On the web, the following Waddell translation about the Enmei Jukku (which I reprint below) is a good start:

"Toward the end of his life, Zen master Hakuin [1689 -1769] took an interest in aspects of life outside the monastery walls, including social and governmental concerns. In the passage that follows, excerpted from a letter addressed in 1754 to Lord Nabeshima on the subject of the virtuous leader, he discusses the merit of reciting Enmei Jukku Kannon Gyo [The Ten-Phrase Life-Prolonging Kannon Sutra].

When we met the other day I had meant to encourage you to take up the Enmei Jukku Kannon Gyo [Ten Phrase Life Prolonging Kannon Sutra], but our meeting was so brief that I did not have the opportunity. I therefore send it for your inspection along with this letter.

This work has been associated with wondrous miracles that have taken place in both China and Japan. Because it is so brief, I sincerely hope that you, not to speak of your close retainers and the common people as well, will recite it two or three hundred times each day. The reason lies in the testing. Give this work to those who are seriously ill or who have met with some unexpected disaster, and have them examine it for their consolation. If it is recited with sincerity, awe-inspiring miracles will without fail be accomplished. Its first advantage is that the person who recites it will be completely free from disease and will attain to long life. This applies to anyone at all. . . ."

Some may say that these writings by Hakuin are superstitious myths, that the stories are made-up or that there is no scientific basis for this. Or you may say that this practice is another form of mindfulness meditation and concentration, and the benefits are explained by recent research in those areas and more easily (and more skillfully?) attained by modern mindfulness training. It may be so. Even if I cite cases (or Hakuin cites cases) of the efficacy, it is just that, anecdotal cases.So I will not pursue this line of discussion further now.

Here is a Dharma talk that I gave on the Enmei Jukku which includes a word by word translation; in this talk I discuss the Enmei Jukku primarily in terms of Zen practice, and do not focus on healing:

Hakuin's emphasis on Enmei Jukku draws on much older Buddhist traditions. The Buddha is known as the Medicine King; there are many and varied iconic images of the Buddha Medicine King.

Chapter 25 (24 in some translations) of the Lotus Sutra is devoted to the healing and saving power of Kanzeon Bodhisattva in many forms for those who call on the Bodhisattva in their time of need. Enmei Jukku is thus a short-hand version of larger Kannon sutra. In fact, the name Kanzeon (and variations thereof) means the one who regards/hears/sees and responds to the cries of suffering. Below are links to three online versions of this chapter of the Lotus Sutra:

Hakuin also praises a special meditation practices he calls naikan meditation for its healing properties. Though there is material available on naikan on the web and in the above cited books, and in other works by Hakuin, and one can begin the practice through the use of this written material, I highly recommend that if at all possible one consult experienced guides when undertaking this naikan practice since there are some potentially dangerous side effects and hazards in naikan practice. I will write further about these matters in future blogs.

Monday, September 24, 2012

Below is an interesting tax proposal; would it improve our national circumstances?

We would have to try it to see. Certainly, it would simplify many things and eliminate much lobbying and political jockeying. If you are interested, please read the whole article.

"Want to rebuild America? Start with the tax code

...Replace the current mess with a national sales tax. Tax consumption and only consumption. Don't tax investment, education or income. Eliminate the income tax, the employment tax and the corporate income tax. Just tax consumption.

'It's very progressive, but on a discretionary basis,' he said. 'If you buy a Bentley and I buy a Ford, you'll have to pay about 20 times the taxes I pay. People that spend more money will pay more taxes.'"

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Paradoxical effects - or how even controversial actions and technologies, including fracking, can lead to positive environmental outcomes, and how they need improvement rather than banning to continue to help, while implementing well-intended forms such as carbon tax can be counterproductive and lead to more difficulties and suffering.

There are many forms and opportunities of Bodhisattva functioning - we need not be narrow or limited in our vision and action. Functioning at ease in the midst of circumstances, there is room for clarification and improvement, the opportunity of straightforward action.

"The End of Global Warming: How to Save the Earth in 2 Easy Steps"

Noah Smith

"You may not believe me, but I have news about global warming: Good news, and better news.

Here is the good news. US carbon emissions are decreasing rapidly. We're down over 10% from our emissions peak in 2007. Furthermore, the drop isn't just a function of the Great Recession. Since 2010 our economy has been growing, but emissions have kept on falling. The reason? Natural gas. With the advent of "fracking" technology, the price of gas has plummeted far below that of coal, and as a result, essentially no new coal plants are being built. ..."

"Conservatives, meanwhile, need to recognize that solar is for real. .."

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/09/how-to-save-the-earth-in-2-easy-steps/262418/"So to sum up: The way to save our planet is clear. Step 1 is to embrace natural gas as a "bridge" fuel, limiting the risks from fracking and helping China and other developing countries to switch from coal to gas. Step 2 is to fund research to ensure that the jaw-dropping three-decade plunge in solar power costs continues for two decades more. Natural gas is the temporary ally. Cheap solar is the cavalry that will ride in to finally save the day. Preventing catastrophic global warming might still be a long shot. But if we do the right things now, we just might make it."

This editorial from a local paper needs no added comment:

Illinois is No. 1 in a dubious category

Don't get your hopes up for decreasing the number of local government units in Illinois.

Illinois is last or near the bottom in a number of different metrics — public pension funding

and quality of its bond ratings, to name just two.

But it's No. 1 in another important category, and that ranking helps to explain why the Land of Lincoln is a bottom dweller.A finding by the U.S. Census indicates — and all taxpayers should prepare to cringe —that our state has the most units of local government in the nation. Pennsylvania ranksNo. 2, but it's miles behind.Illinois has 6,968 units of local government — counties, municipalities, townships,special districts and school districts — compared with 4,905 for Pennsylvania.We're not the only state with too much government that is way too expensive. Texashas 4,856 units of government and California, 4,350.This isn't the way it has to be. There are 10 states with 542 or fewer units of localgovernment. A limited number of local units of government does not automatically meanefficient and honest government. The District of Columbia has just two units, and it'shistorically been an absolute mess of corruption, incompetence and waste. But the fewerthe units of governments citizens have to keep track of, the easier it is for voters to holdthem accountable.Why so much local government in Illinois? Voters continue to create new units, like libraryor tax-increment-finance districts, but many are holdovers from a bygone day. They are testimonials to the eternal truth that once government creates something, no matter how useless it becomes, it will live forever.Exhibit A for the concept is township government, which most people know nothing about. Illinois has 102 counties and within those 102 counties are 1,400 units of townshipgovernment, including 30 in Champaign County alone.DuPage County Chairman Daniel Cronin has drawn considerable attention for trying to consolidate his county's 400-plus units of government, 45 of which providemosquito-abatement services.It would appear to be plain common sense to see how to do as much or more by spending less on fewer units of government. But the elected officials and employees whose livelihoods depend on their continuation vehemently resist change.State Sen. Terry Link, a Waukegan Democrat, last year tried without success to passlegislation establishing an eight-member commission with the authority to abolish localunits of government.Stirring up a hornet's nest of opposition, it never had a chance.The Legislature subsequently created an advisory commission, headed by state Rep.Jack Franks, to explore the consolidation of local units of government and mergeservices."People can't follow them, no matter how hard they try, and as a result there is verylittle oversight," said Franks, who appears to be serious about bringing about a change.But the lack of enthusiasm among state legislators for this issue is undeniable. The law establishing the Franks commission was signed by Gov. Pat Quinn in August 2011and the panel was required to submit its report by Dec. 31.But somehow legislative leaders never got around to appointing commission membersfor months, and the commission didn't hold its first meeting until February 2012. Becauseof that delay, Franks said he's been forced to ask that the report deadline be moved backuntil September 2013.Why is there such reluctance to pursue reorganization that could produce tremendoussavings at a time when local governments are strapped for cash?It's partly inertia. But it's largely because politicians run many of these local units ofgovernment, and they apply pressure on legislators to protect the status quo.Legislators of both parties, always concerned about keeping friends and getting re-elected,find it easier to let sleeping dogs lie and do nothing.It would be nice to think that's going to change, that Illinois is so broke sensible people in positions of power recognize the practices of 1912 need to be brought up to the speed of2012. But change comes hard in Illinois, a state where politics almost always trumps policy.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

We live a wonderful life, many forms manifesting
the joy that we are; mother playing with child, a weak elder hobbling along, flowers
blooming, wind-blown rain storm, falling leaves, hot and dusty drought, full-moon
bright, dark and foggy night. The various forms are exactly this manifesting
life - and are the opportunity to joyfully appreciate the variety of this life.
This is our opportunity to respond, manifesting this life we are - simple,
straightforward.

Unfortunately, sometimes we get
caught up in what we like or dislike, in greed and anger, and create stress and
dissatisfaction, doing what results in harm and suffering in the midst of this
joyous life. What behavior do you find intolerable? Whose manners offend you?
Do you react when you see…? Do you believe judgments? Do you notice reactions?
Please reflect on this.

Discovering for our self that
believing differences and attachment to them results in much of the harm and
suffering which humans inflect on them self, on others and on the world, we
feel a need to do something. When we do not appreciate the interpenetration of
differences and emptiness, equality and differences, we may think that the
antidote to problems is to do something about differences. Sometimes doing
something about the differences is attempting to wipe out differences, to get
away from differences by going to some form of oneness or equality. This can be
on a personal level or on a social level, it can be politically imposed or culturally
and religiously imposed, and may even include attempts to suppress and do away
with differences. And, in doing this, we may even experience peace and serenity
in a sense of oneness. But we are in trouble if we think that the problem is
the differences, if we fail to see that problems arise out of our
misperceptions of differences, what they “mean” and imply; to say it succinctly,
stress and suffering arise out of our dualistic delusions and attachments, even
attachment to oneness.

If we look for a solution in a
conceptual oneness, an artificial equality, we sometimes end up with an oneness
that really is a disguised way to impose our self-centered ideas, even ideas of
what oneness would be like, on our self or others.

Experiencing oneness, experiencing
unity, can be an antidote for self-centeredness, enabling and supporting forgetting
self; but the very experience of oneness, and holding to that, may merely
substitute “oneness” for “self-centeredness.” We may even think that experiencing
oneness is true, full “awakening.” Though it might be a glimmer, the glimmer
lacks non-abiding, lacks seeing/being the emptiness of conditions and forms, and
may lead to attachment to oneness, and, paradoxically, attachment to characteristics.
A glimmer of oneness, even temporarily “wiping out” differences, is not the
open boundlessness of ongoing change, is not non-attachment, is not dropping
away body-mind. Please do not believe any of these words I wrote
or get caught up in them! Please do not hold onto them!

If oneness is only conceptualized, a
self-centered idea, a substitute for emptiness, boundlessness, then as a result
of this conceptualizing we may become attached to our ideas of oneness,
attached to ideas of equality. Mixing oneness and emptiness, we make emptiness
into a thing. Even though this attachment is out of kind-heartedness, this is misplaced
and possibly dangerous. A surface equality, a conceptually-believed emptiness, a
pollyanish oneness which does not face the realities of the cause and effect
world we are - but instead covers up differences, not dealing appropriately and
skillfully with differences - this can lead to oppression and persecution,
intolerance and worse. We may reject and react to others who believe and speak
in certain ways, react to various feelings. Being deluded by differences, by
the realms of life, and “fighting against them,” we fail to appreciate “all
beings are the wisdom and perfection of the Tathagata” (Avatamsaka Sutra), this
absolute equality in the midst of differences. Thus, Shakyamuni Buddha says, “I
and all beings of the great earth have together attained the way;” no-I and no being
that is not-I, no thing that is not-I.

If, instead of working in the midst
of differences without being deluded by them, our approach is an approach of artificial
oneness, or attachment to a past experience of oneness, this will not enable skillfully
responding to troublesome behavior or violence of those (including our self)
stuck in self-centeredness. In not appreciating differences, not inhabiting
differences, we fail to see “all beings are the wisdom and perfection of the
Tathagatha.” Instead we exclude or suppress differences. This exclusion, this
suppression, whether of “self” or “others,” is an artificial oneness and
equality, a pernicious oneness, pernicious equality - lacking the interpenetration
of differences, lacking the “backside” of differences; this is a non-harmonious
equality. This pernicious equality can be as problematic as differences which
lack the “backside” of equality or oneness. A practice antidote to this
problematic is clarifying “form is exactly emptiness, emptiness exactly form”
(Heart Sutra). (Form is the many forms of differences, many forms of being.)

There are similar statements in many
traditions: our life is seeing G-d in all the many forms and conditions,
responding to Jesus in everyone we meet, serving Allah in everyone we greet, responding
to the Buddha in this moment of encounter. And when we respond as the
Bodhisattva - and to the Bodhisattva - in this moment encounter, we manifest our
Bodhisattva functioning in this moment encounter, we enable the “other” to be
the Bodhisattva that they are.

The Bodhisattva precepts support us
in seeing and responding to things as is, rather than clinging to beliefs about
them. If we are trying to do away with differences, attempting to temporarily
“wipe out” differences, that much we believe and hold to differences, that much
we fail to see differences as they truly are, that much we miss non-attachment
to differences. We are blinded by one-sided vision and delusions about
differences.

Manifesting equality as differences
is appreciating and manifesting differences. Though equality wipes out
attachment to and abiding in differences, this equality, this emptiness, does
not deny differences. Emptiness is empty of emptiness. So, differences manifest
equality, differences manifest emptiness – not one thing.

We fool our self and others when we
fail to manifest equality as differences, fail to live this interpenetration of
form and emptiness that we are, when we attempt to do away with or cover over
differences in a “one-sided” oneness. A pernicious oneness can be a justification
for self-criticisms, as well as criticism of those who celebrate their
particularity, their traditions; forms of pernicious oneness have even been a
justification for all sorts of violence.

Superimposing an ideological equality
can be a way to impose conformity, persecuting differences. It can justify persecution
and biased treatment against particular political and social beliefs and
groups, justifying violence and worse from governmental authorities, encouraging
mobs such as in cultural revolutions, or terrorism by those who act against others
whose differences offend their ideas of “correct” oneness, offend their vision
of the “true” equality. These have been forms of political correctness, of political
and religious oppression, in many societies.

Appreciating the interpenetration of
emptiness and differences is appreciating the differences as they are, is
appreciating the differences we meet from morning to night, whether “our own”
or “others.” We know for our self that our encounters are indeed the wisdom and
perfection of the Tathagatha, our life manifesting - and naturally respond
accordingly. Ongoing practice enables us to see and experience differences as
exactly emptiness, emptiness exactly differences; then we are not blinded by
self-centered attachments to conditions, attachment to differences, attachment to
equality, attachment to beliefs; being not-knowing, we see this life as is in
the midst of ongoing arising/passing impermanence.

In noticing/practicing with attachments
as they arise in life, we are not bound by them; body-mind experiencing - right
here is non-attachment, right here is non-abiding. Right here - not a single
thing; and we have to take care of this! We can choose skillfully and
appropriately among the many forms of emptiness, many different forms of equality.
We can support all we encounter to release clinging and be free of stress and
suffering, be awake now.